Things to do on the first day
Employee Onboarding Checklist. A guide for new employees and their managers
First impressions matter, so make the first day special.
What to do on the first day at work
1. A welcome letter / email
- Keep the letter personalized, welcoming and engaging.
- Outline the company goals, its mission and ethos.
- Connect the employee to the manager and HR personnel.
- Brief about the employee orientation program.
- Reiterate benefits and package, and explain roles and responsibilities providing a more detail job description.
2. A customised welcome gift
3. Provide the itinerary for the first day and first week
4. Describe the onboarding program, providing a written timeline and schedule of goals, training, support and responsibilities for the new employee
5. Introductions and connections – Keep the introductions personal and customised as much as possible
- Introduce the new hire to the manager and team.
- Connect the new hire to the assigned buddy at work.
- Connect the new hire to the HR contact for queries and clarifications.
- Introduce the employee to related teams and functional units.
- Set up meetings for conversations with skip level managers and CXO level executives, where ever necessary.
6. Provide an overview
- Employee Related Overview – Review the job description, roles and duties, goals and expectations. Explain policies and procedures, and job specific guidelines.
- Job Related Overview – Introduce the personal work and goals, initiate them on tools and job related specifics.
- Team/ Function Related Overview - Describe the roles of the team, its responsibilities and goals
- Organization Related Overview – Provide an overview of the company vision and mission, its culture and ethos. Describe the organization structure and the key people in the company. Connect the employee, and the role to its contribution to the organizational goal.
7. An office/ campus tour
- Take the new hire around office facilities such as cafeteria, HR area, support desk, gyms, lounges.
- Provide parking access, and discuss transportation options.
8. Compliance
- Standard legal information and guidance on rules and regulations.
- Information on Working hours, dress code, resource allocation.
8. Get them started
- Show them the work station, and provide contacts for additional support such as services or office supplies.
- Provide necessary access such as access card, employee cards.
- Setup email, voicemail and computer.
- Start the employee on work, at least in part.
- Provide necessary information about safety and emergency guidelines